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Army of Drones (Ukraine)

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Army of Drones (Ukraine), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 202528 sources
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This article is about drones targeting objectives. For drone-related incidents, see List of unmanned aerial vehicle incidents.

Operators from the Ukrainian Special Group "Alpha" alongside a multirotor FPV drone in the early 2020s

Template:War Drone warfare refers to military operations employing military drones or robotic systems. These robotic platforms may be operated remotely by human controllers or possess varying degrees of autonomy during missions. Categories include unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), armed commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).[1] UAVs, UGVs, USVs, and UUVs fulfill diverse roles including reconnaissance, kamikaze attacks, bomb disposal, cargo transport, and medical evacuation, as well as functioning in anti-air, anti-armor, or anti-personnel capacities.[2] Countries such as China, France, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ukraine[3][4][5] had developed operational UCAV platforms by 2019.[6]

Drones serve multiple functions including electronic warfare, explosive ordnance disposal, training as target drones, and logistical support. However, their predominant use lies in intelligence gathering, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), enabling precision strikes within a military kill chain or through manned-unmanned teaming.[7] Aerial assaults can be executed by dedicated UCAVs deploying various ordnance during drone strikes or by armed commercial UAVs that either release munitions or collide with targets.[8] Additionally, heavy-lift drones are utilized for airlifting supplies or evacuating injured personnel across battlefields.[9][10] Compact drones such as small UAVs (SUAVs) and micro air vehicles (MAVs) are portable by individuals and suited for short-range, low-altitude support missions. Larger drones may act as "motherships," deploying smaller sub-drones or featuring electronic warfare capabilities like signal repeaters.[11][12] Multiple drones can operate in unison, conducting attacks simultaneously in a coordinated drone swarm,[13] while autonomous lethal drones employ advanced military artificial intelligence technologies.[14]

During the early decades of the 21st century, most drone strikes were carried out by the United States military utilizing air-to-surface missiles against targets in countries including Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen amid the global war on terror.[15] The use of drones expanded rapidly throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s with nations such as Azerbaijan,[16] China, Iran, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine increasing their deployment. Non-state actors including militant groups like the Islamic State and Houthi rebels as well as organized crime syndicates such as Mexican cartels have employed drones for both offensive operations and logistical tasks. Since 2022, drone warfare has been extensively featured in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine by both sides using a combination of long-range fixed-wing drones and short-range multirotor FPV systems.[17][18] Experts characterize this conflict as the first large-scale "drone war" due to its intensity and volume of drone engagements, highlighting drone warfare’s significant influence on contemporary conventional combat.[19][20][21]

Commercial UCAVs

Weaponization of DJI Phantom commercial videography UAVs

A commercial UCAV refers to any UAV originally manufactured for civilian purposes that has been adapted to carry armaments such as guided bombs, cluster bombs, incendiary devices, air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, or various types of precision-guided munitions, including autocannons and machine guns. These armed civilian drones can launch missiles or munitions, deploy explosives, or intentionally crash into targets to detonate either on impact or in an airburst above sensitive areas. Potential payloads encompass explosives like hand grenades, mortar shells, and IEDs, as well as hazardous substances such as shrapnel, chemical agents, radiological materials, or biological toxins. Beyond offensive applications, these cost-effective drones are frequently deployed for reconnaissance and artillery observation roles. For instance, multirotor FPV drones have seen widespread use by military forces during the Russo-Ukraine War for aerial surveillance and spotting artillery positions.

To mitigate the risks posed by commercial UCAVs, governments are developing specialized anti-UAV systems. James Rogers, a scholar focused on drone warfare, highlights ongoing debates regarding the most effective methods to counter small UAV threats—whether they stem from hobbyists causing minor disturbances or from malicious actors such as terrorists.

United States

Main articles: Unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States military, Unmanned aerial vehicle programs of the Central Intelligence Agency, and List of the United States drone bases
A Predator drone launching a Hellfire missile
The X-47B was the first unmanned aircraft to be catapult-launched from an aircraft carrier and autonomously refueled in flight.

Estimates suggest that U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan have resulted in the deaths of between 2,000 and 3,500 militants and approximately 158 to 965 civilians. Additionally, 81 insurgent leaders have been reported killed in Pakistan. In Yemen, drone operations are believed to have killed between 846 and 1,758 militants alongside 116 to 225 civilians. Confirmed deaths include 57 leaders affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

In August 2018, Al Jazeera disclosed that a coalition led by Saudi Arabia fighting Houthi forces in Yemen had secretly negotiated with al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen and enlisted hundreds of fighters from this group. The report indicated that the United States was aware of these arrangements and refrained from conducting drone strikes against the organization founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988.

During Donald Trump's presidency, drone strike frequency increased by over 400%. However, his successor Joe Biden implemented reductions in drone strike activity. Despite this decline, a Biden administration drone strike in Kabul during August 2021 resulted in the deaths of ten civilians, including seven children. Subsequently, a U.S. drone strike successfully eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

By mid-2025, assessments indicated that U.S. military forces were falling behind in advancing their drone warfare capabilities—especially regarding the production and fielding of small, inexpensive first-person view UAVs similar to those utilized during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In July 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum urging prompt acceleration of drone integration within military units. The U.S. envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, stated in September 2025 that Ukraine had surpassed the United States in drone technology development amid ongoing conflict due to continuous battlefield-driven innovation. Steve Siomi, president of robotics defense firm Allen Control Systems, asserted that China had outpaced the U.S. in addressing drone proliferation challenges and emphasized that adopting drones has lowered warfare costs for all participants—including American adversaries.

Impact

Academic perspectives on the effectiveness of drone strikes vary considerably. Certain research supports the idea that eliminating leaders of terrorist or insurgent groups through decapitation strikes can weaken these organizations' future operational capabilities, though other analyses dispute this claim. While drone strikes contribute to curbing militant activities, this effect often stems from militants' anticipation of such attacks rather than their direct aftermath. Joint counter-terrorism data from the US and Pakistan indicate that militants frequently halt communications and suspend attack planning to evade detection and targeting.[22]

Advocates argue that drone strikes are particularly effective in precisely targeting combatants.[23] Some experts suggest that drone operations result in fewer civilian deaths and less infrastructural damage compared to alternative military tactics such as large-scale bombing.[23] Other military options like raids and interrogations carry significant risks, consume considerable time, and may prove ineffective. Nevertheless, reliance on drone technology introduces challenges, as U.S. drone operations establish international precedents concerning extraterritorial actions and extrajudicial executions.[23]

Latin America

In Mexico, operators known as "droneros" deploy drones equipped to drop explosives against rival targets within drug cartels.[24] The United States has employed drones in covert operations aimed at dismantling cartel leadership through targeted drug busts.[25]

Azerbaijan

Bayraktar TB2 showcased during the 2020 Victory Parade in Baku, Azerbaijan

During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces made extensive use of UCAVs against Armenian forces.[26] These included Israeli-made IAI Harop drones alongside Turkish-manufactured Bayraktar TB2 models.[27] Since the Bayraktar TB2 incorporates Canadian optical and laser guidance components, Canada halted exports of its military drone technology to Turkey in October 2020 following accusations that it had been employed for intelligence gathering and directing artillery and missile strikes on military targets. In response, Aselsan announced plans to commence serial production and integration of its indigenous CATS system as a replacement for the Canadian MX15B.[28]

The Economist highlighted Azerbaijan's proficient deployment of drones against Armenia during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, alongside Turkey's drone utilization in the Syrian Civil War, as indicative of evolving warfare dynamics. While it was previously believed that drones would have limited impact in interstate conflicts due to vulnerability to anti-aircraft defenses, this assumption appears less accurate concerning smaller powers lacking advanced air defense systems. The publication described Azerbaijani tactics and Turkish drone use as exemplifying a "new, more affordable form of air power." Additionally, it noted that drones' capability to document their strikes facilitated an effective Azerbaijani propaganda strategy.[16]

Thailand

Main article: 2025 Cambodia–Thailand border conflict

On 24 July 2025, the Royal Thai Armed Forces executed a series of coordinated drone assaults against the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces positioned in the contested border region near Ta Muen Thom and Ta Krabey. Utilizing FPV drones, quadcopters, and one-way kamikaze UAVs, Thai military units targeted Cambodian command centers, ammunition storage sites, artillery installations, and communication networks. Experts recognized this operation as one of the most significant deployments of commercial multirotor drones in a direct state-to-state confrontation since the conflict in Ukraine, disproving earlier beliefs about the inefficacy of such drones in dense jungle environments.

Poland

On 9 September 2025, more than a dozen Russian drones intruded into Polish airspace during the Russian drone incursion, triggering NATO’s Quick Reaction Alert and leading Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO agreement. At least four of these drones were confirmed destroyed. Subsequently, on 18 September, Polish and Ukrainian authorities declared plans to initiate joint military training and manufacturing programs, acknowledging Ukraine’s emergence as a leader in drone warfare following the 2022 invasion.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

In the ongoing 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Russian drone utilization surged approximately tenfold between early 2024 and mid-2025.
The ZALA Lancet, a Russian loitering munition operational in Ukraine since 2022
Ukrainian naval "Sea Baby" unmanned surface vessels photographed in 2023
Calibration of a "Baba Yaga" heavy-lift drone during 2024
Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drones deployed in the battle of Chasiv Yar

Throughout the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present), unmanned aerial vehicles have been extensively employed by both sides for reconnaissance as well as offensive operations including long-range bombardments and ground support. Ukrainian forces have prominently utilized Turkish-produced Bayraktar TB2 drones for striking Russian targets. Conversely, Russian forces unleashed multiple waves of Iranian-made HESA Shahed 136 drones during the October 2022 missile strikes on Ukraine. The primary functions of drones in this conflict remain reconnaissance and artillery targeting. Russian sources have reported deploying a "Stupor anti-drone rifle" designed to disrupt Ukrainian drone radio controls.

On 13 October 2022, an unprecedented recorded incident occurred over Ukraine’s Donetsk region involving unarmed drone-to-drone combat: a Ukrainian DJI Mavic quadcopter rammed a Russian drone of identical make, causing it to crash. A similar aerial ramming event happened on 24 November 2022 when a Russian DJI Mavic was seen descending uncontrollably after colliding with a Ukrainian drone.

On 9 May 2023, a notable event took place where a Russian conscript surrendered to Ukrainian forces via interaction with a Ukrainian drone.

The cost comparison highlights that each HESA Shahed 136 drone is valued at roughly $20,000, whereas an IRIS-T missile costs approximately $430,000. Between mid-September and mid-October, open-source data estimates Ukraine’s expenditure on countering these drones reached $28.14 million.

Since at least September 2022, Ukraine has deployed black naval drones equipped with the Starlink satellite internet system to conduct attacks against the Russian Black Sea fleet based at the Sevastopol Naval Base. Initially presumed to be reconnaissance assets, these naval drones appear armed with munitions functioning as bombs. Analysts note that front-mounted sensors on these vessels likely serve as laser rangefinders aiding targeting accuracy. In late October 2022, seven such drones contributed to a successful assault on Sevastopol Naval base.

On 13 October 2022, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter became the first manned aircraft reportedly downed by a drone during combat; after shooting down a Shahed-136 kamikaze drone with onboard cannon fire, an ensuing explosion is believed to have caused the plane’s crash and pilot injury.

By September 2023, Ukrainian forces were reportedly employing inexpensive cardboard-frame drones fitted with GoPro cameras for aerial surveillance purposes.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, around thirty Ukrainian companies have emerged to mass-produce unmanned aerial systems for military use. The Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation launched the "Army of Drones" initiative aiming to procure up to 200,000 drones by 2023 to offset Russia’s superior military hardware through affordable UAVs. That year also saw government-sponsored competitions inviting numerous domestic drone developers to simulate ground strikes, intercept fixed-wing UAVs, and engage in drone dogfights. Among successful models is the "Baba Yaga" hexacopter capable of carrying payloads up to 44 pounds.

By April 2024, Ukraine began deploying manned ultralight aircraft such as the Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat and Yakovlev Yak-52, which utilize snipers or machine guns to intercept Russian drones. Additionally, Ukrainian UAVs have been modified with improvised equipment specifically designed for engaging enemy drones; for example, in July 2024 an FPV drone equipped with a wooden stick was used repeatedly to ram and disable a Russian ZALA Aero Group ZALA 421-16E reconnaissance UAV. Fiber optic tethered drones also became widespread during this period to avoid radio frequency jamming.

On 31 July 2024, Ukrainian FPV drones succeeded in downing a Russian Mi-8 helicopter over occupied Donetsk territory—the first recorded instance of a helicopter being destroyed by an unmanned aerial vehicle during combat—likely while it was landing or taking off.

Russia conducted its largest drone strike of the conflict on 25 November 2024 by launching approximately 188 UAVs against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted around 76 while electronic interference caused tracking loss on another estimated 96. Remaining drones struck civilian infrastructure including energy facilities and homes.

On 8 February 2025, Russian authorities uncovered an alleged scheme involving shipments of FPV drone goggles rigged with explosives sent to Russian soldiers. Each headset contained between 10 and15 grams of explosives programmed to detonate upon activation—a tactic likened to Israel’s electronic device attacks in Lebanon during 2024. Following this discovery, reports emerged that eight Russian FPV operators suffered vision loss due to explosions occurring between early and mid-February across several regions including Belgorod oblast, Kursk, Luhansk, and Donetsk.

Between 18 and 25 May 2025, Russia launched its most extensive combined drone-and-missile offensive since initiating full-scale hostilities: approximately one thousand aerial weapons were employed including around 355 Shahed kamikaze drones alongside about twenty-three Iskander ballistic missiles and over sixty air-launched cruise missiles such as X-101 and X-555 variants. This multi-pronged assault struck Kyiv and various other regions resulting in over fifteen civilian fatalities and multiple injuries while significantly straining Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and logistical networks.

On 1 June 2025, Ukrainian FPV drones infiltrated into Russia via trucks and conducted strikes against Russian airbases including Belaya and Olenya, successfully destroying several strategic bombers.

Beginning August 2025, persistent Ukrainian UAV attacks against Russian oil refineries contributed to triggering a widespread fuel shortage within Russia known as the 2025 Russian fuel crisis.

Iran

During June 2025, amid the 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel, Iran executed multiple drone strikes targeting Israel. These actions were retaliatory measures following Israeli air raids on Iranian nuclear sites.

Libya

In 2020, a Turkish-manufactured UAV equipped with explosives autonomously identified and engaged forces loyal to Haftar in Libya, utilizing artificial intelligence without direct human control. This incident, reported by the UN Security Council's Panel of Experts on Libya in March 2021, marked the first recorded autonomous UAV attack.

Sudan

On 19 September 2025, during the siege of El Fasher in the ongoing civil war in Sudan, a drone operated by the Rapid Support Forces targeted a mosque within an IDP camp, resulting in 75 fatalities. Additionally, Sudanese paramilitary forces have conducted drone assaults on Port Sudan as part of the broader conflict engulfing the nation.

Syria

On January 6, 2018, Russian military forces successfully intercepted a swarm attack involving multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeting the Khmeimim Air Base, marking an unprecedented event in the history of armed conflict. The Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) employed drone technology to aid their capture of Damascus on December 8, 2024.

Hamas drone attacks

On October 7, 2023, Hamas initiated incursions into southern Israel utilizing commercially available drones to strike Israeli watchtowers prior to breaching the Gaza–Israel border barrier. Footage circulated online showing Israeli soldiers and a Merkava IV tank being neutralized by these drone assaults. By 2025, there has been a noticeable increase in Hamas’s deployment of drones within the Gaza Strip.

Houthi drone attacks

During the coordinated drone and missile offensives launched by the Houthis on March 25, 2022, several Saudi energy installations—including facilities in Jeddah and Ras Tanura—were targeted. These strikes caused temporary interruptions in oil production and ignited fires at Aramco sites. From late 2023 through July 2024, amid the Gaza War, the Houthis executed over 100 attacks against commercial maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait using a combination of drones, missiles, and fast boats. Their targets primarily included ships associated with Israel, the United States, and allied nations.

Islamic State drone attacks

The Islamic State has utilized small drones and quadcopters for offensive operations across Iraq and Syria. Teams of twelve or more trained operators have piloted these UAVs to deploy explosives on enemy personnel while effectively avoiding ground-based defenses. During the Mosul battle (2016–2017), Islamic State forces inflicted casualties on numerous Iraqi soldiers by simultaneously releasing light explosives and 40-millimeter grenades from multiple drones. They also targeted military supply caches with drone strikes. Propaganda footage released by the group displayed bombings of an ammunition depot in Deir ez-Zor, Syria—a contested zone between Islamic State fighters and Syrian government forces at the time.

In a 2017 Senate hearing, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged that terrorist groups have shown interest in employing drones and noted that such usage overseas is already frequent, warning that similar threats could materialize imminently within the United States. Drone specialist Brett Velicovich warned in an interview with Fox News about the escalating risk posed by Islamic State’s use of commercially available drones against civilian targets, predicting that such attacks would become increasingly common and sophisticated.

The precise effectiveness of drone strikes conducted by the Islamic State remains uncertain. It is possible that these UAVs were more often deployed for propaganda purposes through video capture rather than for direct combat advantages.

Anti-drone technologies

Directed-energy weapons

Electronic countermeasures

Kinetic defense systems

Major platforms and manufacturers

Additional related subjects

References

  1. ↑ @bayraktar_1love (19 September 2024). "The combat work of the Ukrainian ground drone on the frontline". X (formerly Twitter).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ "First Image Of Ukraine's Sidewinder-Armed Magura V7 Surface Drone". Naval News. 4 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  3. ↑ Sabak, Juliusz (18 May 2017). "AS 2017: Warmate UAV with Ukrainian Warheads". Defence24.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  4. ↑ Baykar Technologies (17 December 2015). 17 Aralık 2015—Tarihi Atış Testinden Kesitler (YouTube). Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  5. ↑ Borger, Julian (28 March 2022). "The drone operators who halted Russian convoy headed for Kyiv". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Milli İHA'ya yerli füze takıldı!". Haber7. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  7. ↑ "Drone warfare: The death of precision". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Agence France-Presse (14 March 2017). "US military deploys attack drones to South Korea". Defence Talk. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Операторы БЛА ГрВ "Восток" используют тяжелые промышленные коптеры на Южно-Донецком направлении". ВПК.name (in русский). 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Ukrainians Deploy Heavy Vampire Drones to Transport Robot Dogs to Frontlines". Kyiv Post. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Flying Aircraft Carriers: Ukraine Refines FPV Mothership Tactics". Forbes. 9 April 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  12. ↑ "Ukrainian forces invent innovative method to attack Russian rear facilities — video". english.nv.ua. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  13. ↑ "Syria war: Russia thwarts drone attack on Khmeimim airbase". BBC. 7 January 2018.
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LAWs
  15. ↑ Haltiwanger, John (18 December 2018). "America at war: The countries where the US took or gave fire in 2018". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "The Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict hints at the future of war". The Economist. 8 October 2020.
  17. ↑ Faulconbridge, Guy; Kelly, Lidia (10 November 2024). "Ukraine attacks Moscow with 34 drones, biggest strike on the Russian capital". Reuters. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  18. ↑ Shtepa, Vadim (16 October 2024). "Ukrainian Drone War Shakes Up Russian Society". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  19. ↑ Bendett, Samuel; Nersisyan, Leonid (5 June 2024). "The drone war over Ukraine". The Air War in Ukraine. London: Routledge. pp. 168–194. ISBN 978-1-003-45412-0.
  20. ↑ DeVore, Marc R. (3 April 2023). ""No end of a lesson:" observations from the first high-intensity drone war". Defense & Security Analysis.
  21. ↑ Kunertova, Dominika (4 March 2023). "The war in Ukraine shows the game-changing effect of drones depends on the game". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  22. ↑ Horowitz, Michael C. (2020). "Do Emerging Military Technologies Matter for International Politics?". Annual Review of Political Science. 23: 385–400. doi:10.1146/annurev-polisci-050718-032725.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Byman, Daniel L. (17 June 2013). "Why Drones Work: The Case for Washington's Weapon of Choice". Brookings. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  24. ↑ "Mexico's drug war fought with drones, human shields, gunships". PBS. 25 November 2021.
  25. ↑ Washington, By Steve Fisher in Mexico City and Vera Bergengruen in (28 February 2025). "Secret U.S. Drone Program Helped Capture Mexican Cartel Bosses". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  26. ↑ Bulos, Nabih; Yam, Marcus (15 October 2020). "A new weapon complicates an old war in Nagorno-Karabakh". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  27. ↑ Roblin, Sébastien (14 October 2020). "Opinion | How an explosion of cheap armed drones is changing the nature of warfare". NBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  28. ↑ Sevunts, Levon. "Canada suspends exports of military drone technology to Turkey". CBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.

External links

Related profiles

LList of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS
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